Under the Same Sky
by GypsyKate
Summary: ...Countless stories unfold. Canon-based oneshot collection. Includes crossovers and the occasional OC.
1. Land of Departure: Under Geas

Under Geas

By GypsyKate

Time: Pre-BBS

Summary: Why did Eraqus trust Master Xehanort, despite having good reasons not to?

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square Enix. The following quote isn't mine, either.

* * *

_Geas...is something magically laid on you that you must do or not do. This can be a nuisance, because the Geas takes no account of the feelings you may have about whatever is laid on you. For instance, you can be under Geas to marry the next person you see with violet eyes, or to kill every third red-haired man, or to visit every COUNTRY on the MAP, and you will do those things. You may weep and curse, but do them you will._

–"The Tough Guide to Fantasyland" by Diana Wynne Jones

"Wait, Xehanort...there is a reason the precepts bar us from such knowledge. Why do you seek the X-blade? Would you blanket all the worlds in darkness, reduce them to nothing?"

His old friend did not turn to face him. He looked old enough to be his father, despite them sharing the same age.

It was another sign that Eraqus did not wish to see.

"But darkness did cover the world once, in legend. We know so little about the Keyblade War– only that it was just the beginning. Amidst that crisis a precious light was found. It is a curious tale– and one worth exploring."

He acted like himself– the dramatic hand gestures, the enthusiasm that increased the more he discoursed. But his words...

"They say ruin brings about creation. So what, then, would another Keyblade War bring? When the darkness falls, will we be found worthy of the precious light the legend speaks of? I must have these answers. The X-blade needs to be forged, and with it, the door to the Keyblade War unlocked!"

Eraqus did not want to hear that.

"Fool...you would risk the apocalypse out of sheer curiosity? I will never allow it, Xehanort. Not while I live!"

Where was the old Xehanort who would be horrified by what he now spoke of? Or did he never exist?

"But once again you have it all wrong, Eraqus. Darkness is a beginning, you see, not an end. At birth, every one of us emerges from darkness into a world of light, do we not?"

Eraqus couldn't spit out his next words out fast enough.

"Poetic excuses!"

Xehanort turned to leave.

"If words won't dissuade you, only one thing will."

Eraqus summoned his keyblade and charged, but his once-friend responded with a spell that blasted agony into his head and drove him to his knees.

The black fire eating away at his face answered the unspoken question that he still asked.

"That power...has the darkness taken you, Xehanort?"

"Not your concern." His enemy walked away, then turned back, almost as an afterthought.

"Oh, and Eraqus?" The old man`s demeanor changed subtly, imperceptibly.

"Do as you are bidden,

And keep this in your memories hidden."

Xehanort turned and left. The dark fire faded, but a different pain replaced it.

Subtly, imperceptibly, Eraqus` mind shuffled itself around and invented a lie for his new scars in a heartbeat.

It created many more before the enchantment wore off– by then, it was too late to repair the damage.

* * *

Many thanks to the Troper at tvtropes who pointed out that Eraqus could've easily prevented the tragedy in BBS by speaking up. Here's my reason why he didn't.

Xehanort strikes me as a very, very competent magician. That frightens me. I also assume that he wanted Eraqus alive to train more people for his upcoming Keyblade War.

This is my first OC-less fic. I hope ya'll enjoyed it, even though it's mostly a recap.

~GypsyKate


	2. Dwarf Woodlands: Beneath the Mask

Beneath the Mask

by GypsyKate

Time: Pre-BBS

Summary: Who was the spirit that Snow White`s stepmother summoned to her mirror?

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square Enix.

* * *

_Dreams hold our memories. Sleep holds our dreams. And darkness– it holds our sleep._

Ansem in "Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance"

"Dammit, old man! Why can't I beat you?!"

Alberich smirked. "Because I see all and know all, Naoki."

The younger man shook his head as he gathered up their cards. "Whatever. Up for another round?"

"Certainly."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"IGNITUS!"

"Pyrene, don't–!"

Too late. The idiot had already engaged her archenemy.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"You're going to come back, aren't you Daddy?"

Alberich smiled as he ruffled his daughter`s hair.

"I always will, Pastora."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

In the end, everyone lost. The keybearers had plunged the world into the darkness and destroyed everything...

_Lanelle...Pastora...I'd give anything just to see you aga–_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"_Spirit of the mirror, come from the farthest place._

_Through wind and darkness I summon thee... Speak! Show me thy face."_

He materialized in the looking glass.

"What wouldest thou know, my queen?"

The Spirit saw all and knew all. The size of the universe, what went on in each world, the names and faces of those that dwelt in light, darkness and everywhere in-between...

The only thing he didn't know was what he dreamt about while he slumbered in the darkness.

* * *

For some strange reason, I think the Powers That Be would royally screw over whoever destroyed their nice, tidy universe. Must have too much Greek mythology in my system...

Not sure when I'll do a proper Keyblade War story, but I _will_ do it.

~GypsyKate


	3. Traverse Town: Coping Mechanisms

Coping Mechanisms

by GypsyKate

Time: Nine years before KH1.

Summary: What do you do when you've lost everything you held dear?

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square Enix.

* * *

"Squall–"

"It's Leon."

Every time someone called him 'Squall', his mother yelling at him to run and Ellone`s screams as the Heartless dragged her away rang in his ears. Changing his name gave him a bit of respite. He might take it up in the future...if he earned the right to use it again.

(If his family had known what he had done, they would have said 'It's not your fault', 'We still love you', and 'Don't torture yourself, it's breaking our hearts'.)

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Yuffie wasn't a thief. Aside from the occasional ill-gotten snack, she left other people`s possessions alone.

That was before she lost everything within two hours.

She became a hoarder after that. Coins, sweets, someone else`s teddy bear, another`s silver brooch, that fire crystal she used as a nightlight– if it was left unattended, she took it.

(Her parents would have been disappointed, but glad that their daughter was alive, healthy, and watched over by good people.)

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Cid had dreamed of going to the stars since his first flight. His wish was granted when the Heartless invaded.

No Garden to go back to even if he wanted. No assistant to give him disapproving looks whenever he stepped outside for a smoke. No old friends to regale with his adventures in space. Just a sea of black swallowing up everything he loved.

He stayed away from alcohol until grief lost its edge. He had orphans to look after.

That didn't mean he had to quit smoking, though.

(Shera would've been pleased with his teetotaling, but not with the cigarettes.)

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Aerith found dishwashing relaxing. It didn't require thinking, and she let go of her worries about her adopted family, lost loved ones, and a future that might be trapped in madness and darkness and despair while doing it.

But she didn't take up gardening again until she had spent a year in Traverse Town. It brought up too many memories.

(Both of her mothers and her father would have been happy to see her managing as well as she did.)


	4. Destiny Islands: Operation Coconut

Operation Coconut

by GypsyKate

Disclaimer: Disney and Sqeenix– sorry, Square Enix– owns Kingdom Hearts, not me.

Time: Two years before KH1. Riku and Wakka were thirteen and the others twelve at the time.

Summary: Just because Kairi is a princess of heart doesn't mean she's above pranking someone.

* * *

Every summer was the same. At Destiny Islands, the kids always went to the beach, rowed out to the smaller of the two islands, or hung around their neighborhoods. It only varied when people moved in or out, someone pranced about a rowboat and capsized it as a joke, or a stodgy uncle had his lemonade salted by a niece. But the people didn't mind this idyllic life.

On the play island`s beach, a boy was sleeping the sunny morning away. A redheaded girl walked up to him with a bucket and dumped seawater on him.

"What was that for, Kairi?!" he spluttered, his brown hair still spiky as ever, even drenched.

"For being so lazy," she replied, grinning, "At least you won't be sweltering, Sora."

"Freezing isn't much better," he muttered, wringing out his shirt.

"What was that?"

"I said 'Let's go bother Riku!'" Sora jumped up, tripping and showering Kairi with sand and landing face down.

"No. I've got a better idea," she stated, dusting herself off.

"What is it?" He stopped brushing down his red shorts.

"The image of you, me, and Selphie ambushing Riku, Tidus, and Wakka comes to mind..."

They ran off laughing to find Selphie, making plans involving coconuts and more seawater...

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Never let two teenage girls and one teenage boy– all three being as mischievous as racoons on a sugar rush– launch a massive prank attack on three other highly competitive boys. It _will_ lead to total warfare. But, seeing how we cannot stop it, let's sit back and enjoy the show.

Sora strolled over to the lagoon. He had asked the victims to meet him there. Two of them had already arrived. Silver-haired Riku and dirty-blonde Tidus stood with wooden practice swords in hand, looking bored. That would be taken care of shortly.

"Hey, have you guys seen Wakka?"

"Right behind ya, mon! Head's up!"

A blue-and-white blitzball bonking the back of his head forced Sora into his second face plant of the day. And Operation Coconut was barely underway. Hey, that rhymed!

"...Wakka–"

"I _saw _ya plottin' with Kairi and Selphie earlier, brutha. Ya earned it"

And then chaos arrived. In other words, the girls were throwing coconuts from a hidden location at their targets.

_Thump!_ Tidus is in the water!

_Wump!_ Now Riku is!

_Thwump!_ And Wakka is the last of all! Thus ends the sports announcer moment.

By the time Tidus and Wakka had hauled themselves out of the pool, Sora was long gone...with Riku hot on his heels. Porcupine`s– I mean Sora`s– day just keeps getting better, doesn't it?

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Ready to say uncle, Sora?"

"...guck...Uncle..."

The silver headed boy released the brunette from the headlock and they waded back to shore together. Their friends were waiting for them there.

"Did anyone else think Sora really was going to drown that time?" Selphie asked.

"Yes."

"Maybe."

"You have a crush on him, don't ya, Sel?"

"I do not!"

"Sora and Selphie, sitting in a–"

Selphie kicked the offender`s shin.

"Ow!"

"That's what you get for singing that song."

"_And_ for singing in the first place." Sora quipped.

"I don't sound that bad!" Tidus protested, hopping up and down on one leg.

* * *

Wrote this waaay back in March '08. It was part of a 'novelization' that never got past the first chapter. If I remember correctly, I was hooked on Foxtrot comics and P.G. Wodehouse at the time...which led to a narrator that wouldn't shut up.


End file.
